The total wage arrears in Tajikistan, including debts from previous years, exceeded 33.1 million somonis (over US$3 million) as of early March this year, according to the country's statistical agency.
This is almost 20% (5.5 million somonis) higher compared to the same period in 2024.
The highest wage arrears were recorded in the mining sector — about 15.5 million somonis (46.8% of the total debt).
Relatively large debts in salary payments are also observed in the following sectors:
- Agrarian sector – 6.9 million somonis
- Transport sector – 5.7 million somonis
- Water supply, waste treatment, processing, and recycling sector – more than 2.6 million somonis
Regionally, the wage arrears are distributed as follows:
- Sughd Province – over 26.7 million somonis (98.2% of the total arrears)
- Dushanbe – 4.8 million somonis
- Districts Subordinate to the Center (RRP) – about 1.6 million somonis
- Khatlon Province and Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Region (GBAO) – no wage arrears.
Meanwhile, the average nominal monthly salary in Tajikistan, according to the Agency for Statistics, was 2,654 somonis (US$243) in February this year.
The minimum wage, as of January 1 this year, has been set at 800 somonis (US$73).
Relatively higher salaries are earned by employees of banks and insurance companies, where the average salary is 5,453 somonis (around US$500).
The average salary of miners, who, as mentioned above, are owed 15.5 million somonis, stands at 4,556 somonis (US$418).
The lowest salaries are earned by agricultural workers — 1,250 somonis (about US$115).
It should be noted that Tajikistan remains the country with the lowest average salary in Central Asia.
At the beginning of this year, Ranking.kz agency, citing the data from the Interstate Statistical Committee of the CIS, published the following ranking of the region’s countries by average salary:
- Kazakhstan – US$817.2
- Kyrgyzstan – US$411.2
- Tajikistan – US$248.2
- Turkmenistan – no publicly available data
- Uzbekistan – US$437.8
